Epilogue
Two Years Later
“I heard he’s married to Leviathan Morningstar.”
“The hot billionaire?”
“The one who was on the cover of Syn magazine last month?”
Elm wandered through the gallery, shamelessly eavesdropping on conversations as he passed.
He was dressed in a white suit, the front of his shirt decorated in intricate lace flowers that revealed bare skin beneath depending on which way he turned.
The top three buttons were undone, and he kept a hand casually in the pocket of his pants.
The outfit cost almost as much as the building, but he’d gotten used to being decked out in designer brands.
Since style had never been a big deal to him, he was more than content leaving his wardrobe to Levi to handle.
The gallery was rather large, with five different showrooms on the main level, and an upstairs where he kept his office and studio space. Elm’s original studio was at the estate, and the past six months, it’d been an adjustment period for both himself and his alpha.
They’d come to an agreement, however. Since Levi had to work, Elm spent the hours he was at the office here. Whenever the alpha was finished, he came over and waited until Elm was ready to leave, if he wasn’t already. Usually he wasn’t, since he still had a tendency to get sucked into his work.
A little over a year ago, they’d moved back to the main building at the estate.
The basement had been converted to a game room, the cage dismantled.
Elm didn’t go down there very often, and never on his own, but it helped to see it different than it’d once been.
His studio had been created on the upper level, down the hall from their bedroom.
Sunlight poured in from the wide windows, giving him a great source of natural lighting.
He still preferred the one at the lodge though. Insisted on visiting whenever they had free time and for every anniversary, despite the alpha’s continued offer to bring him somewhere warm and exotic for a change.
Elm didn’t need any of that. Traveling to Glyph every now and again to visit his family and friends was already more than enough. Alone time at the lodge, just the two of them, was the most relaxation he could get.
Plus getting to have sex whenever and wherever they wanted without worry about being walked in on was also a serious perk.
“I heard his alpha bought him this place,” an omega female whispered to her friends while they stood in front of one of Elm’s favorite pieces.
The statue was another iteration of the Rabbit God, this one bent at the waist, face covered by his hands, weeping.
He’d done a whole series on them, capturing his emotional journey during the change and shoving it into his art as a means to purge himself from the past. It’d helped. Keeping things in never did.
“Have you seen him? He’s totally hot,” another girl said. “And he’s a dominant omega.”
“Rumor is his alpha is a mob boss.”
“Better be careful. I also heard he was the jealous type.”
“Yeah, that’s not someone you want to piss off.”
Elm snorted and kept walking. When he turned the corner, he spotted Kian and Sky in the far section, seemingly discussing one of the paintings.
Since Levi liked his drawings, Elm had decided to add a few other types of medium to the gallery showing, and was pleasantly surprised to see how well his paintings were doing.
Out of the six he’d hung, four had already sold, much to Levi’s vexation.
“Tell your brother that one isn’t for sale.” As if summoned by Elm’s mind, the alpha stepped up from behind him, stopping at his side. He was glaring across the room at Kian and Sky.
“Relax,” Elm chuckled. “They’re just looking.”
“They are not. Sky is clearly telling him to buy it.”
“I don’t need their support. Sky knows that.”
“He doesn’t want it out of charity,” Levi corrected. “He wants it because it’s good. Which is also why I want it. Go. Tell them they can’t have it.”
“Okay, I’ll tell them to pick something else.”
“No.”
Elm grinned and turned to face his alpha. “This isn’t a museum, Leviathan. Everything here is for sale. You can’t get upset every time someone buys something.”
Levi was dressed in a black suit, the buttons open almost to the center of his chest, showing off a swath of bare skin that brought images of this morning when he’d fucked him against the bathroom sink moving to the forefront of Elm’s brain.
“I told you just to display stuff.” The alpha stepped closer, a frown marring his brow, fingers reaching out to redo the three buttons of Elm’s shirt, as though he was the one flashing the guests. “I’m happy that you’re happy, and that you’ve made a name for yourself in the art world, but—”
“Enough.” Elm laughed. “We don’t have space for all of this at home.”
“We do,” he disagreed. “But if you really think that, I can simply buy another. One specifically for your art.”
“That’s called a gallery, Levi, and that’s what this is.”
He adjusted Elm’s shirt collar, brushing against the strip of leather bound around his throat in the process. “You’re giving away pieces of yourself. I don’t like it.”
Elm didn’t wear the collar Levi had given him after the bite often.
Mostly for special events, and whenever they planned on spending a lengthy period of time out in public.
When the alpha’s fingers lingered there, he realized fixing his shirt was just an excuse to touch it and reassure himself the collar was secure.
Sure enough, Levi tested the buckle at the back, then hummed in satisfaction and finally dropped his arms.
“You already have all of me, alpha,” Elm replied quietly. “This is just stuff.”
“Stuff you made. Stuff that came out of your soul.”
Despite his complaining, Levi had been his strongest supporter in all of this.
He’d even been the one to suggest he seriously consider a career in the arts in the first place.
Since Elm no longer lived on Glyph, his partnership with Sky had dwindled down to almost nothing.
It’d been too difficult for Elm to step back into that role after over half a year away, and shipping things between planets was frustrating.
He’d always dreamed of something of his own, and the Leviathan could easily make that a reality, so he’d shamelessly taken him up on the offer, with the understanding that the alpha didn’t interfere.
Elm had needed to know his work held its own merit, without the Leviathan’s influence forcing sales. He’d started small, just a piece or two in local showings and auctions, and had built a name for himself.
The artist Median was well known in the art scene now, and his work sold for a hefty sum.
He spent his daily life running the gallery and creating, while Levi dealt with his businesses and the White Frost. For the most part, they were able to keep those two things separate, but Elm made appearances at White Frost parties and celebrations and attended professional balls and galas with Levi when his presence was called for.
Every now and again, someone took a shot at them, but what was life without a little excitement?
“Tell your brother he can’t have it,” Levi repeated stubbornly.
“When is this jealousy toward Kian going to end?” Elm teased.
“Never.”
“Come on.”
“No.”
“He’s my family, Leviathan.”
“I’m your family,” he corrected, coming the closest to a pout the Dominus of the White Frost could manage.
“Okay, okay.” Elm took pity on him, leaning forward to press their lips together briefly. “You’re my family. But, you know, if you really want to drive your point home, we could go upstairs and—”
“What are you two whispering about?” Kian’s voice cut into what Elm had been saying.
With a groan, Elm pulled back from his alpha and sighed. “Having fun?”
“This is amazing,” Sky said. “I have so many questions.”
“Ask him over dinner,” Kian suggested, sending Levi a look as though daring him to refuse. “We’re still on for that, aren’t we?”
“You invited them to stay for dinner?” Levi narrowed his eyes on Elm, who awkwardly shifted on his feet.
“They don’t visit Synastry often,” Elm explained. “I thought it would be nice.”
“He mentioned your favorite restaurant is Hoarfrost,” Sky quipped, attempting to lighten the mood and appeal to the Leviathan. “Shall we go there?”
The corner of Levi’s mouth twitched, and his arm came around Elm’s waist. “I can see why you’re best friends.”
Elm spotted more familiar faces over their shoulders, and whatever expression he made, it must not have been one of excitement, because both Sky and Kian turned to see what had caught his attention.
Shiloh and Sarang, the underboss of the Eumia, were making their way closer, but had stopped in front of a statue of the Rabbit God strangling himself.
“That’s not for sale,” Elm blurted before he could think better of it. At his side, the Leviathan covered a chuckle with a cough.
“I’ll go tell him,” Kian offered. “About the location for dinner as well.”
“We invited them,” Sky said. “That’s cool, right?”
“Yeah, of course.” Elm and Shiloh were no longer strangers. He’d even designed and sculpted a few pieces for several of Shiloh’s luxury hotels.
“We’ll meet you outside after closing,” Sky offered, then followed Kian over to where Shiloh and Sarang were still inspecting the statue.
“He can’t sit by you,” Elm stated as soon as he and Levi were relatively alone again.
“What was that comment about misplaced jealousy?”
“I don’t care if it’s childish. Or that you’re both mated.
He’s sitting on the opposite end of the table at dinner and that is nonnegotiable.
” Elm wasn’t actually worried. He knew there was nothing between the two of them and that there never had been.
He also no longer compared himself to the other omega.
But Levi enjoyed when he was possessive back, and honestly, if there was a choice? Elm still would rather his alpha and Shiloh interact as little as possible. Not because he was insecure, but because Elm also wanted all of the alpha to himself.
“You were also just scolding me about not wanting to sell,” Levi pointed out.
“That’s different. You know you’re the Rabbit God. I don’t want you in his house.”
“It’s just a statue, omega,” he mocked, then laughed and pulled him into his arms. “What were you about to suggest we do upstairs before we were so rudely interrupted? Let’s go.
We have just enough time before your speech for me to make you come on my knot.
You’ll feel less nervous afterward. My cock always relaxes you. ”
“What a wild thing to say.” Not that Elm was denying it. He took the alpha’s offered hand and allowed him to pull him to the side, toward the doors with the sign that said employees only on them. “We have to be careful with our clothes.”
“We don’t,” Levi reassured. “I already had spares sent to your office, just in case.”
“Planned on fucking me all along, did you?”
“You get anxious before public appearances where all the attention will be on you,” he reminded. “As your alpha, I’m only tending to my omega’s mental health.”
“Of course.” Elm jumped onto him the second they walked into the elevator. “Just be sure to keep track of the time. You know I can’t focus on anything else when you’re inside me.”
“If you promise to behave, I’ll consider it.”
“This event was expensive. Do you want to waste your money?”
“Nothing is more valuable than you are.” Levi cupped his nape with one hand, the other supporting Elm by the ass as he held him aloft, and pulled him in so their mouths were mere inches apart. “Tell me you won’t let your brother take anything, and I’ll give it to you the way you crave, treasure.”
Elm kissed him quick, then nipped at his bottom lip. “What if I give you something else instead?”
“Oh?” Levi’s interest was piqued just as the elevator doors dinged, signaling they’d made it to the top floor. He stepped out, carrying Elm down the hallway toward his office.
“Let’s just say you aren’t the only one who had something delivered.”
As soon as they entered the room, Elm patted his shoulder, indicating he wanted to be put down. The alpha complied, eyes already locked on the surprise Elm had planned for him.
“I got it back,” Elm said, watching a range of emotions flash across Levi’s face. “Do you like it?”
Derivative, the companion piece to the Rabbit God, and the second of Elm’s initial attempts at larger works, stood next to the desk.
It’d taken some convincing to get Kian to return it, since it’d been a gift, and his brother was surprisingly fond of it. One of the terms of the agreement had been that Elm allow Sky to pick out as many pieces from today’s showing as he pleased.
“For me?” Levi almost reverently stepped in front of it, reaching out to ghost his fingers over the curve of the statue’s face and lower.
“Well, yeah,” Elm replied. “I—”
“Take off your clothes,” the alpha interrupted, “and present over the desk, omega.”
“You can just tell me that you like it.” Elm was already stripping out of his pants despite his comment.
“Words of affirmation are my love language,” Levi drawled. “Putting you on my cock is yours.”
Elm shivered and moaned, moving to the desk and bending over it, his ass lifted invitingly in the air. “Yes, please, alpha.”
“I’ll tell you how extraordinary you are while I fuck you,” Levi purred and turned from the statue, hands undoing his pants as he stepped behind Elm. “How does that sound?”
“Perfect.”
The alpha found his hole and stuffed two fingers inside of him, slowly opening him up.
In the process, he leaned over, nipping at Elm’s back and shoulder, before bringing his lips to his ear.
“Thank you for the gift. I love it. And I love you, Elm,” he drove his fingers in with more force, knocking Elm’s hips against the desk loudly, “Erskine.”
He clawed at the polished wood surface and gasped. “Levi.”
“What should you be saying back to me, omega?” He removed his hand, the blunt tip of his cock pressing teasingly against Elm’s entrance a second later.
“I love you, too, Leviathan.” Elm screamed as the alpha thrust into him. “I really, really do!”
Levi pumped into him and nuzzled the side of his face. “I know. I really,” each word was punctuated by his hips, “really do, too.”
Not a single iota of Elm doubted that was true. He might have been the one who was synthetically altered, but he and the alpha were made for each other.
“If I’d waited and bit you right now,” Levi asked. “What would be your answer?”
Elm caught his glowing silver gaze over his shoulder. “Yes.”
“Yes?”
“I would choose you, alpha.”
In many ways, in all the ones that mattered, he already had.